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Hi I'm Rachel

I love the outdoors. I wonder about how the natural world works. I'm a thinker, daydreamer, and naturally curious. I'm a Mormon

About Me

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I have ADD. I love to read, draw, sleep, and watch TV. I also hike, fish, sew, play the trumpet and piano, sing and dance on occasion. I love animals and am aiming to become a veterinarian in the future. I'm a little bit of a tomboy and not afraid to get my hands dirty. I'm the average, normal, one-of-a-kind woman who's slowly making her way through college.

Why I am a Mormon

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I was born into this religion, but I don't follow blindly. I have asked all sorts of questions and have always found answers to them. I seriously do my research and read through the Book of Mormon and other church doctrine, and see how it connects to the bible. Making notes on the sides by verses that stood out to me and praying about questions that came about but couldn't find at the moment.
I'm human, so time and again I find something that gives me doubt, but it always feels ugly and empty. When I have these doubts, I do as President Uchtdorf says and doubt my doubts before I doubt my faith, and work to erase the doubts. Not through ignorance, but through knowledge by reading the scriptures and praying to God.
One scripture I came across stood out to me Ether 4:11-12. It talks about that God is good, everything that is good is of God, so the Book of Mormon must be of God because it contains nothing but good. I have read the Book of Mormon numerous times to know for myself that it truly is good, and of God, and nothing now can persuade me otherwise.
I have also felt the spirit. I have prayed about the Book of Mormon before, but I have never felt a burning in my bosom until I went to the temple to be endowed. I had never felt the spirit so strongly that I didn't recognize it for a moment. I can only explain it as Lehi's description of the fruit of the tree of life in 1 Nephi 8:11, that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted, and as in verse 12 it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy. With Christ saying "by their fruits ye shall know them" in Matt 7:20, this experience has only strengthened my testimony of the how true the LDS Church really is.

How I live my faith

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I live my faith like anyone else. I listen to what is taught, do religious rituals like the sacrament, pray every day and night or whenever I feel a need to, and try my best to not go against my beliefs at any time. My faith asks service from me often, and I accept to do the work as much as I am able. Right now I am preparing to serve a mission to teach people of our faith on the other side of the country, in Tennessee. I feel unprepared and anxious about my limited abilities.
Thankfully God knows of my weakness as an imperfect being. I wonder whether I'm really know enough to teach people about our faith and if my poor ability to talk with strangers with drive people away. I have faith and hope that God want's me out there for a specific reason and will help me in my times of weakness.

Why don’t Mormons drink coffee, tea, or alcohol? What is the Mormon Church’s law of health and proper diet?

Rachel

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Our bodies need to be taken care of in order to be able to do the Lord's work. They are also a representation of a temple of God and of the Holy Ghost, and also belong to God while we are on this earth and we are, in a way, renting it. For example, if you rented a car for a trip around the city, you would do everything you could in your power to make sure it was returned in the exact same condition as it was that it was given to you, to both show respect to the owner and to avoid paying expensive fees. the basis of what the Word of Wisdom is is found in Doctrine and Covenants 89. It tells us that we need to avoid drinking alcohol, using tobacco in any way, drinking coffee and tea, and use any drugs that would cause us harm (unless it was prescribed by a licensed doctor). The coffee and tea have been interpreted by many members to avoid all kinds of caffeinated drinks and avoid like sodas as well. I have seen people become addicted to caffeine like any other drug. I see caffeine like sleeping pills, consume only a reasonable amount when needed. I only drink coke on very sparse occasions, like when a migraine happens or I haven't slept for three days and need to take a test for school. Though I don't have a preference for it, I hear Herbal Tea is OK, as long as it hasn't been made using tea leaves.Show moreShow less

What are Mormon women like? Do Mormons believe in equality of men and women?

Rachel

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Mormon women are the best kind. We do everything and and anything that is asked. If you ever need anyone to talk to we would put down anything that we are doing and put our full attention on you. I swear, growing up here in Utah, I've had 50 different mom's. We know who we are and where we come from, and we don't care who knows it. We are loyal to our husbands and our husbands are loyal to us, even when we would disagree. However, we are far from perfect. We can't do everything, and at times we may not be able to do anything, but that doesn't mean we don't try. We cry as much as we laugh. We feel burden and stress and sometimes question our efforts. But all over all, we are happy and filled with love, charity and faith towards God. Women are very much equal to men. In general we just have a different role to play. Womens roles are to bring souls into the world, and to give them nourishment and help them grow. Women are co-creators with God, for God makes mankind through women and that role is solely only for women. Men's roles are to provide protection and support for the family, to work for the basic needs, and to exercise the authority to hold and use the priesthood by and through God, under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Women were created out of Man's side to stand on equal ground, not from his foot to be trampled on, not from his head to rule over him.Show moreShow less

What do Mormons believe concerning the doctrine of grace?

Rachel

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We believe in grace 100%. Resurrection is the free gift of christ for all men. Reading 1 Corinthians 15: 20-22 it talks of Christ being the first to rise from the dead, and saying that the fall of Adam caused ALL men to be in a corrupt state with death to be unavoidable, also by the resurrection of Christ ALL men will be made alive again. That includes old, young, slaves, and freemen. All will sin sometime during our lives(excluding infants because they don't know the law or of sin). Whether we will tell a little white lie or commit murder, both are breaking the commandments of God and therefore by justice make you unfit for heaven. But because Jesus the Christ took upon himself the sins of the world we are able to rise again be it that we will give up those sins and put on righteousness. His hand will always be stretched out to lift you up, all you have to do is reach up, grab hold, and don't let go.Show moreShow less